MS Dhoni reportedly set to miss six matches:CSK official gives update on Thala’s calf strain

MS Dhoni is reportedly set to miss the first six matches for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2026. The 44-year-old CSK legend earlier was said to have suffered a calf strain, which ruled him out of action for atleast two weeks. CSK will start their IPL 2026 campaign against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on 30 March. Dhoni is among the four players who have been part of every IPL edition, right from the inaugural season in 2008.
Stephen Fleming gives update on MS Dhoni’s injury A Times of India report states team sources, as per which, that Dhoni might not return to action before the last week of April as he continues his rehabilitation from calf strain. Apart from the campaign opener, CSK have seven blockbuster matches scheduled in April, with the showdown against the Mumbai Indians on 23 April being among the marquee clashes.
The report also quoted a senior CSK official, who revealed that Dhoni did not travel to Guwahati with the rest of the team. “He is taking rest and we want him back as soon as possible. It is definitely a big blow for us and we’ll have to deal with it, ” he said. Also read: WATCH | Virat Kohli’s flying kiss towards Anushka Sharma: Ishan Kishan records 3,000 IPL runs; Klaasen’s controversial catch Sanju Samson among wicketkeeping options for CSK Dhoni’s absence, however, won’t be that big of a blow to CSK with the franchise having Sanju Samson in their ranks. The five-time champions, prior to the auction last year, had traded in Samson from the Rajasthan Royals, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran going the other way. Earlier, it was confirmed that Samson would open the batting for CSK alongside captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Not just Samson, but CSK have a number of wicketkeeping options, with Urvil Patel and Kartik Sharma being the others. Sharma was signed by CSK for a whopping sum of ₹14.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction last year. CSK’s jam-packed April in IPL 2026 As mentioned before, CSK have a jam-packed April in IPL 2026, with clashes against last year’s finalists Punjab Kings (3 April), defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (5 April), Delhi Capitals (11 April) and three-time winners, Kolkata Knight Riders (14 April). After taking on archrivals Mumbai Indians on 23 April in Wankhede, CSK will close out their April with a contest against Gujarat Titans, a rematch of the 2023 final, on 26 April.